If You're Reading This
by FallenAngel184
Summary: "Wally. If you're reading this, I died today. Looks like I only got a one-way ticket here, huh? I wish I could just kiss you one more time; I wish heroes vs. villains was only a game we played when we were little…" Artemis has one last message for Wally after one last mission. Basis for this story is "If You're Reading This" by Tim McGraw and a different fic named inside.


**A/N: This is a rather late entry to Wally/Artemis week. I would suggest listening to "If You're Reading This" by Tim McGraw before starting this story, as it is the basis of the letter and actions (though some actions are not exactly the same as in the song)**

**This story was also inspired by** **If You're Reading This**** by spockslovechild. It's an Avengers Clintasha fic, and it's amazing!**

**So, anyway, please enjoy this extremely depressing work of fanfiction. I apologize.**

Artemis West clutched at the bullet wounds through her torso, gripping the riddled flesh and trying to keep scarlet rivulets of blood from flowing out. Grimacing painfully, the blonde archer reached for her quiver and pulled a sheet of paper and a pen out of the lining. She'd put it in a while ago to write Wally a note for some reason; she guessed that letter would have to come a little late.

_**~SPFI~**_

Wally looked up excitedly from his laptop at the knocks on the front door. Looking forward to his wife coming home, he sped to the foyer and opened the door.

"So Spitfire, how- Dick? Wait, what are you doing here? Did Babs kick you out? Y'know, again?" The former Kid Flash snickered at his best friend and then ruffled his red hair, just now noticing the somber expression in the other male's ice blue eyes.

"Uh, what's up?" Wally hesitated to ask, seeing the pure pain in the martial arts master's eyes. "What's wrong? Is it Babs? John?" Wally blanched. "Oh my god... Payton, is it her? She was over today, she and John had a study date or whatever, something for summer school; god Dick, tell me, _what's happened to my daughter?"_ The redhead grasped the younger man's shoulders, an impenetrable panic fluttering in his bright green eyes. The dark haired male shook his head, whispering quietly as he moved to the couch.

"It's not Payton. Or Babs, or John. They're all at the park with M'Gann and Conner, entertaining their youngest, Sarah." Wally relaxed, sitting down heavily in his leather armchair.

"Then why are you here? Thought you'd want to be with Babs today, your anniversary _is_ in a week; and yes, I _did_ remember." He smiled, proud of his memory for once. Dick shook his head again, rubbing his face roughly.

"I was with everyone, but then... Ollie and Dinah contacted me. I didn't tell any of the others, just that I had something to do. And I- _God,_ I'm so sorry Wally, I just... Artemis was killed in action yesterday. They… they found her this morning."

His world shut down. Gravity, earth, the moon, the stars, the sun… They didn't exist anymore. He couldn't believe it. He just couldn't. Artemis... Dead? No. No, it wasn't possible.

"Wally?" Dick was holding back tears now, something he never did. The shattered, empty look in his best friend's dull emerald eyes was killing him. "She... They found this in her hand. It's a letter... To you." The speedster accepted the proffered paper numbly, raising it up to his face to read the blood-splattered writing through blurry vision.

_Wally._

_If you're reading this, I died today. Looks like I only got a one-way ticket here, huh? I wish I could just kiss you one more time; I wish heroes vs. villains was only a game we played when we were little…_

___**~SPFI~**_

Artemis coughed up more blood, her head spinning as her trembling hand wrote her goodbyes. Tears that she almost never cried sprang from her eyes and ran down her face, tracing clear, salty paths through the grime and scarlet liquid already there.

_I'll never use my bow again; never put on the uniform. I'm up above with whoever's here, and we're watching over you, don't worry. _

_So lay me down in that open field out on the edge of town, and know my soul is where my mother always prayed that it would go. Tell her I miss her already…_

___**~SPFI~**_

Wally was crying, sobbing, his shoulders shaking violently as he read on.

_Tell Payton I love her, and I miss her so much already. Tell her she and John are adorable and I know she'll be involuntarily blushing when you read this to her. Remind her to always stand up for the innocent and the weak. Remind her every day how special she is…_

He almost smiled at the mention of Dick and Babs' son, John, and his relationship with their daughter. His wife still had her cheeky attitude, even when she was… No. He couldn't say it, think it. Not yet… Maybe not ever. He swiped a calloused hand over his eyes, brushing away fat tears so he could continue reading.

_Just remember that I'm in a better place now, where everyone can live in peace. So lay me down in that open field out on the edge of town, and know my soul is where my mother always prayed that it would go…_

___**~SPFI~**_

The blonde archer gasped in pain as more shrapnel from explosions rained down on her. They couldn't get her yet… Not yet. She wasn't finished. And she _would _finish. She began writing again, glancing lovingly down at her bloodstained, white gold wedding ring.

Yes… She would finish. She had to. She would.

_**~SPFI~**_

Wally completed the last lines of the letter, and her signature, and he ceased crying. He had no more tears left. Dick had left in the middle of the hour he took to read half a page, but he was grateful. Most likely he'd gone to get Payton, who would insist on bringing John and his parents over for dinner. It was supposed to be the day her mother came home; a day to celebrate.

He wouldn't be eating dinner tonight, he knew that.

The doorbell rang loudly through the house, echoing in Wally's head as he slowly stood on shaky legs to answer the call.

Payton stood excitedly in the doorframe, the Grayson family behind her on the porch steps, as she smiled at her father.

"Hey Dad, is Mom home yet? I think I'm gonna cook dinner tonight, give Mom a break, and John said he'd totally love to stay for a while and we could watch a movie or something- wait, Dad? What's up, is something wrong?" As his daughter talked faster than he'd ever thought possible, Wally could see Dick ushering his wife and son into the outside bench chairs to wait. He simply bowed his head and walked into the house, Payton following him as he sat on his old leather armchair. She climbed into his lap, concerned, like she did when she was five and had nightmares. Wally clutched his daughter to his chest, choking back sobs as she looked, alarmed, at her father.

"Dad?" Payton questioned cautiously, tilting her face to look at him, brow furrowed. Wally simply shook his head, gathering her up in his arms and sitting back against a chair. The 16-year-old tucked her head into the crook of his neck, wrapping her arms around him. He hadn't seemed this sad since three years ago, when her Gramma Mary had been killed in a hit-and-run accident. The only reason he could be like this was... Payton bolted up out of her father's lap and faced him, terrified.

"Oh my god, Dad? Dad, is it Mom? Is she ok? Oh my god, _Oh my god_, it's Mom isn't it? Oh god, what happened, what's going on? Please tell me!" The redheaded speedster stood and kissed the top of his daughter's head, his body shaking.

"She was... She was on an extra mission. A- a volunteer. You knew that. She said she... That she missed it. The hero life. I missed it too, but I… I never told her that. She said she'd be home today. She promised… Nothing would go wrong." Silent tears ran from Payton's eyes; she could just reach out and touch her father's pain. It clouded the room, mixing with what she knew now. Her mother was dead. Her mother. Was. Dead. She burst into hysterics, slumping against her dad, who picked her up in cradled arms and lay her on the couch, cuddling with her as they dried out their tear ducts.

After what they could understand was hours of crying, Wally handed Payton the crumpled letter, brushing back her strawberry blonde hair from her freckled face and gray-green eyes; the perfect mix of him and Artemis. Half of his world yesterday; his whole world now.

Dick came in from outside, having told his family the news, and immediately went to comfort his best friend with Babs right behind him. John practically flew to his girlfriend, gathering her up in his strong arms as they sobbed together and read the last words of Artemis West.

_**~SPFI~**_

Artemis smiled as she signed her name, finally letting her dried eyes drift shut as the gunfire and explosions gradually stopped around her. The letter was finished, and Wally would read it, and she would be in a better place. And someday, though not soon, he would join her. And she was fine with that.

Smiling serenely, albeit a bit sadly, the gray-eyed warrior leaned back against the rocks she was hiding under and sank into a timeless, dreamless sleep.

Yes. She was fine with that.

_**~SPFI~**_

_And if you're reading this... I'm already home. _

_I love you so much, my stupid, sweet Kid Idiot._

_Your Spitfire,_

_Artemis…_

THE END

**A/N: Ok, I just broke my own heart… Please kill me now, why did I just write this? God, why am I so depressed! Agh, teen angst… I hope it's better in college. Anyway, please review so you can berate me about making you sad… And I'm only sort of kidding. Do review, but please no berating… Constructive criticism is appreciated though… I love all of you Spitfire fans, I'm so sorry I wrote this…**


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